joker | playing card | Britannica.com playing card THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic. The joker, who symbolizes the practical jokes associated with April Fools’ Day. PhotoObjects.net/Jupiterimages Learn about this topic in these articles: in euchre ...Alsatian game called juckerspiel from the fact that its two top trumps are Jucker, meaning “jack.” This word may also have influenced the choice of the term joker for the extra card introduced into American euchre in the 1860s to act as the “best bower,” or topmost trump; bower is from German ... in playing card: Jokers Standard decks normally contain two or more additional cards, designated jokers, each depicting a traditional court jester. Few games employ them, and those that do use them in different ways. In rummy games, such as canasta, they are “wild” and may be used to represent any desired “natural” card. The joker was originally invented (though not under that name) to serve as...

in president (card game): Game play Two jokers, if available, rank as the highest cards, and one outranks the other if they are distinguishable. (For example, black joker beats red joker.) Second highest are the 2s, which, like jokers, may also be used as wild cards to a limited extent. These are then followed downward by A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 in each suit. There is no trump suit, and no suit outranks any other... The Joker - The World of Playing Cards WoPC Home > Jokers > The Joker Card The Joker Country of Origin: USA UK Keywords: joker jokers jolly bower wild comodin ... the wild-card, the card of opportunity The extra Joker card is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required.

Originally he was called The Best Bower and then later The Little Joker or The Jolly Joker. It was around this time that other innovations and improvements started to appear, such as rounded corners replacing square and various types of corner indices. These Jokers, or extra cards, were first introduced into American packs around 1863, but took a little longer to reach English packs, in around 1880. One British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s. Above: early 'Bower' cards and Jokers by American manufacturers produced during the 1870s-1880s. Many of the images resemble clowns or jesters, not always ‘Jolly’; sometimes they appear slightly sinsiter! Above: early Jokers by the firm Charles Goodall & Son, London , (1821-1921) produced during the 1870s-1890s. Victor Mauger soon issued their own Joker → The Joker card is capable of almost anything or almost nothing, depending on the rules of the game.

It has been suggested (Dianne Longley, 1999) that the Joker is the ‘wild-card’, or the card of opportunity, not unlike the ethos of opportunity and individuality that has been the driving force behind America's pursuit of greatness. Some historians have seen the Joker as a descendant of the Fool of Italian tarot cards, and in some 19th century tarot sets the Fool was depicted as a harlequin or buffoon . Some early Jokers were specially designed, along with special Aces of Spades, as part of the company’s brand identity. Hence they can also be an aid in identification. Many collectors are primarily interested in certain cards such as Aces of Spades, Jokers, court cards, unique backs, etc., and hence the Joker card has also become a collector's item in it’s own right... Above: 3 cards from Peter Wood’s “Jest Jokers” deck comprising 54 different Joker designs, made into a full pack of cards see more → To see a further selection of Jokers, please click here → .

Last Updated February 23, 2016 at 02:00pm Rules of Card Games: Euchre Players and Object Euchre is a plain-trick game for four players in fixed partnerships, partners sitting opposite. Just 5 cards are dealt to each player and the object is to win at least three of the five tricks - with an extra bonus for winning all five. Rank of Cards A pack of 25 cards is used consisting of A K Q J 10 9 in each of the four suits: hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades, plus a joker. If your pack of cards has no joker, the two of spades can be used as a substitute. The trump suit has 8 cards ranking from highest to lowest as follows: Benny, or Best Bower (the joker or two of spades) Right Bower (the jack of the trump suit) Left Bower (the other jack of the same colour as the trump suit) Ace Ten Nine The other suits have 6 or 5 cards ranking as normal: A K Q (J) 10 9. Note that Benny and Left count for all purposes as belonging to the trump suit.

For example if hearts are trumps, the jack of diamonds is a heart not a diamond. It can be played to a heart lead and if it is led, hearts must be followed. The word Bower comes from the German Bauer, which means farmer or peasant and is also a word for Jack. The Deal The first dealer is selected at random. The turn to deal then rotates clockwise throughout the game. The dealer shuffles and the player to dealer's left may either cut or "bump" - that is, knock the cards to indicate that they should be dealt as they are, without cutting. Five cards are dealt to each player in two rounds. The dealer deals clockwise, giving each player a packet of two or three cards in any order - any player who was dealt two in the first round gets three in the second and vice versa. The dealer then turns the next card in the pack face up. This up-card is used as a basis for selecting the trump suit. The remaining four cards are left face-down and are not used. Making trump This process determines the trump suit and which team are the makers - that is the team which undertakes to win three tricks.

First each player in turn, beginning with the player to the dealer's left, has the option of accepting up-card's suit as the trump suit or passing. Specifically: The player to dealer's left may either pass or say "I order it up" If the first player passes, the dealer's partner may either pass or say "I turn it down" If the first two players pass, the player to dealer's right may either pass or say "I order it up" If all three other players pass, the dealer may either take up the up-card, saying "I take it up", or pass by saying "over" and turning the up-card face-down. If either of the dealer's opponents order it up or if dealer decides to take it up, the suit of the up-card becomes trump; the dealer adds the up-card to her hand and discards a card face-down. Note that (at least in this version of Euchre), the dealer's partner cannot make trumps and play with a partner. The dealer's partner can only make the turned up suit trumps by playing alone.

In Britain this is done by saying "I turn it down", in which case the dealer's cards are placed face-down on the table and dealer's partner plays alone, with the turned suit as trump. If all four players pass, the up-card is turned face-down, and there is a second round in which players have the option to make any suit trump, other than the suit of the up-card. Again the player to dealer's left speaks first and may either pass again or name a suit. If the first player passes the second may name a suit or pass, and so on. If all four players pass a second time the cards are thrown in and the next player deals. Note that the trump making process ends as soon as someone accepts or makes trump (rather than passing). That player's side are the makers and the other side are the defenders. If the Benny is turned up then the dealer's team are automatically the makers - no one else gets an opportunity. The dealer must choose a trump suit without looking at her cards. She then picks up her five cards and the Benny and discards one. Going Alone After trump has been made, but before the first lead, any player may announce that they are playing alone.

The partner of a lone player puts her cards face-down and takes no part in the play. Either a member of the makers side or a defender may play alone. It is even possible that a maker and a defender choose to play alone, in which case there will be only two active players. The Play If all four players are in the game, the play begins with the player to the dealer's left leading to the first trick. If one player is playing alone, the person to that player's left leads first. If two players are playing alone, the defender leads. Any card may be led, and each player in clockwise order must follow suit by playing a card of the same suit as the card led if possible. A player who cannot follow suit may play any card. Remember that, for purposes of following suit, Benny and the Left Bower are considered to belong to the trump suit and not to any other suit. The trick is won by whoever played the highest card of the suit led, unless a trump was played in which case the highest trump wins. The winner of each trick leads to the next one. Scoring If all four players are playing then the scores are as follows: If the makers win 3 or 4 tricks they score one point.

If the makers win all 5 tricks they score two points. If the makers take fewer than three tricks they are said to be euchred, and the defenders score two points. If a member of the makers' team is playing alone and wins all 5 tricks, the team scores 4 points instead of 2 - otherwise the scores are as above. If a member of the defenders' team is playing alone and succeeds in winning at least 3 tricks, thereby euchring the makers, the defenders score 4 points instead of 2 - otherwise the scores are as above. The game is normally played to 11 points - that is, the team who first reach 11 or more points over several deals win the game. It is usual for each team to keep score using a spare 5 and 6 from the pack (as these cards are not used in the game). The cards are arranged on the table so that the number of pips showing shows the team's current score. Sometimes people play to 15 points (using a 7 and an 8 to keep score) or to 10 points. Variant Some play that a player who has passed in the round in which trumps were made is not allowed to play alone.

This prevents a player from 'trapping' an opponent by passing with a good hand and then playing alone against them to score 4 points for a euchre. Six Player Euchre In Cornwall, England, this is played between two teams of three, sitting alternately. Either adds the sevens and eights to the pack, making 33 cards (the 8 and 7 are then the lowest cards of each suit, below the 9), or play with a double 25 card pack - 50 cards in all. When playing with a double pack, if two equally high cards are played to a trick, the second to be played beats the first. If the two Bennies are red and black, the one which is the same colour as the trump suit beats the other one. If they both look the same, then the second one played beats the other, as with other cards. If a player wants to play alone, both of the player's partners discard their hands face down, but the lone player can ask one of them for a card. The partner asked gives a card of his choice to the lone player, without consultation and without showing it to the others, and the lone player discards a card face-down in return.

The score for winning all the tricks or euchring the makers is 3 points instead of 2. If the winner is playing alone the score is 6 points instead of 4. North American Euchre In Canada and the USA, Euchre is played without a joker, so that there are just 24 cards in the deck, and the right bower is the highest trump. The target score is 10 points (not 11). The score is indicated by using two low cards overlapped - some use a six and a four, some use two fives, and some use a two and a three like this: In the USA any player, including the dealer's partner, is allowed to order up the up-card and play with a partner. In other places - Australia, England and Canada - if the dealer's partner orders the card up, he/she must play alone; therefore the dealer's cards are laid face-down and the dealer does not play the hand. Some people do not allow a defender to play alone - only the maker is allowed to play alone. Some only allow a defender to play alone against a lone maker.

In Canada it is not usual for the cards to be cut before dealing, and in many groups the cards are dealt one at a time, rather than in twos and threes.. A common method of choosing the first dealer is to deal the cards around until a black jack appears. Stick the Dealer (also known as "Screw the dealer"). In this variation the dealer cannot pass a second time when naming the trump suit. On the second round, if the first three players pass, the dealer must name a suit. This variation is often played when playing time is constrained. The Super-Euchre A "Super-Euchre" occurs when the making team takes zero tricks. Some play that the defending team then scores 4 points. Railroading. This is a variation in which, if your partner is going to play alone, you may pass your partner a card (your best card) face down. Before looking at this card partner must choose whether to discard a card from hand and take the card offered in exchange, or to discard the offered card. Some people play that if the first three players pass, the dealer is only allowed to take up the turned trump if already holding at least one trump in hand.

For this purpose, the left bower is not counted as a trump. Variations Buck Euchre (Cut-Throat Euchre) This game for three or four players, playing as individuals, is described on a separate page . 32 card Euchre In some places the 8s and 7s are included in the pack as the lowest cards in each suit, making a pack of 32 or 33 cards. This makes it more uncertain whether the high cards are in play. I am told that 32 card Euchre is the usual version in New Zealand. Also there are a few people in the USA who still play this way. Six Hand Almonte Euchre Mike Lunney contributed the following variation, which is played in Almonte, in eastern Ontario, Canada.

Rules are the same as six player Euchre above, but with the following variations: There are 6 players (3 per team) using a 30 card deck consisting of 8-9-10-Q-K-A-J in each suit, plus three jokers, represented by the 2,3,and 4 of spades ( 4 is the highest trump, followed by 3, 2, right bower, left bower, A, K, Q, 10, 9). The dealer distributes 5 cards to each of the 6 players and then turns over the last one (i.e. no hidden cards). If the card turned up is a joker, then dealer calls the trump before looking in his or her hand. Scoring is the same as for British six player Euchre described above , but play is up to fifteen. Or in euchre leagues, players play twice around the table (i.e. 12 hands) before moving to another table.

There is a version in which, if a joker is turned up, the dealer cannot turn it over at the end of the first round of bidding, but must take it into his or her hand and become the maker, assuming the other 5 players have passed on the called trump. A four-hand variation is played with 21 cards: the Q-K-A-J of clubs and diamonds, the 10-Q-K-A-J of hearts and spades, plus the 3 jokers; scoring is the same as in six-hand. Bid Euchre There are many varieties of this. See the Bid Euchre page. Terminology and Sayings beaten without score (i.e. 11-0) dockyard play or playing policeman opponents of dealer who do not order up with good cards, in the hope of euchring the dealer's team From North America Bill Le May contributed the following sayings: Don't send a boy to the mill said when you trump a suit trick with something like a 9 or 10 and the other opponent takes it with something higher. Crossing the creek when the top card is turned down and someone makes trump of the opposite color.

Dutchman's Point is the point you win when you're holding both bowers and the ace of trump. (In the USA, where the joker is not used, these are the highest three trumps). Bushing or Waiting in the bushes is passing when you hold enough cards to make trump, hoping instead to euchre the opponent who picks up. Having a dog from every county means your five cards comprise all four suits, usually low cards. Some sayings from Indiana, USA, contributed by Chris Carter and Chris Patterson: to be set a hand suitable for playing alone Lay-down loner a loner consisting of unbeatable cards (for example, if you have the first lead: right, left, trump ace, another trump, any off ace). [Of course this is not laydown if the lone player does not have the first lead. In some places, a variation is played in which if you play a loner you never get the lead. If the player to your right leads first you would need five trumps including the top three for a lay-down loner.

If the player to the left of the loner leads, then five trumps including two bowers is enough.] Walk a low card is led and takes the trick (usually expressed in amazement or disgust: "The ^#$@&^*(@! queen walked!" Next After the up-card is turned down, the player to the dealer's left may call "next" to indicate that the same-color suit as the turned-down card is to be named the trump suit. Historical Note Euchre was probably derived from the game Jucker which was formerly played in Alsace. Euchre reached the USA in the early nineteenth century and was the original game for which the Joker was introduced into the playing-card pack in the 1850s (to serve as the highest trump). It has already been mentioned that Euchre is popular in the US Navy, and it may be through this maritime connection that it travelled in the later nineteenth century from America to other English speaking parts of the world. Certainly in Britain it is mainly found in regions where there has been a strong Naval influence.

Other Euchre Web Sites Archive copy of Matt Schemmel and Erin O'Neil's Semi-Official Euchre Home Page with rules, advice and printable tournament scorecards. Harvey Lapp's Euchrelinks.com site has rules of the American game, tips for improving you play, advice on protecting yourself from players who cheat, and a shop for Euchre equipment. John Hay's Euchre page Joe Chellman has published a page on Euchre for Two Players . Euchre tournaments, books and equipment Natty Bumppo's Columbus Book of Euchre gives not only rules but also plenty of discussion of tactics, local traditions and sayings from Columbus, Indiana, USA. On the web site you can see extracts from the book, and an appendix containing additional material. There are also Reviews of other books on Euchre . You can order The Columbus Book of Euchre from amazon.com. by Joe Andrews is available from amazon.com. Ohio Euchre provides a collection of Euchre resources, including information about Euchre tournaments in Ohio, USA.

At the Euchre Pad site you can print score cards for Euchre tournaments of various sizes played either as teams (keep partner and play each game against a different team) or progressive (change partner for each game). The service is free but donations are welcome. The CardsTourney website by Duke Euker provides a tournament scheduling service: you enter the names of up to 40 players a printable score card for each player showing partner and opponenmts for each round. Josh Falter's Euchre Tournament is a free, open source program that can be used to help organise a Euchre tournament. It keeps score, calculates player ranking and can be used to print scorecards for each player that tell who their partner is, what table they play at, and who their opponents are each round. It currently supports tournaments of 4, 8, 12 or 16 players. The Semi-Official Euchre Tournament Page (archive copy) had seating arrangements and scorecards for Euchre tournaments for various numbers of players. Euchre-Playing Software and Online Servers Euchre Baron from Great Game Products is available for Windows or iPhone, with strong computer players and configurable American / Canadian rules.

A shareware Windows program for playing both two-handed Euchre and Écarté against your computer or an online opponent can be downloaded from MeggieSoft Games . A free trial version is available. With Malcolm Bain's shareware program Simply Euchre for Windows, you can play against computer opponents. A free trial version is available. The collection HOYLE Card Games for Windows or Mac OS X includes a Euchre program. EuchreHub is a free online Euchre game against computer opponents, offering a wide choice of alternative rule sets. Here is Terry Burlison's page about his Ultimate Euchre program. The History of Joker in playing cards. Cards History Deck Types Joker won't make you laugh, it makes you win Find out about a very special card in the deck which is many times unfairly ignored - the joker. Fun to know, the first joker appeared back in the 1860's. The Evolution of Joker Joker, the extra card found in every modern card deck today is believed to be dating back to the 1860s. It is believed that the card was invented by American players who decided to introduce a trump card while changing the rules of the game.

The joker has been known by several different names in the past centuries, like the jolly joker or the best bower. Did you know that? A good joker in your hand is what for online poker a good bonus is. You can use it at the time you decide to get the most of it, a good option is using a bonus code, though there are other available as well. Let me introduce to you: The Joker! It was around 1863 that jokers were first included in card packs in America. However, they reached quite late in England and other European countries. In earlier eastern card decks there were no Jokers or any other cards equivalent to it in the Indian Ganjifa cards or the Chinese Dominoes. In several Japanese decks, an extra card can be found with a pattern of a demon but these are quite different than Jokers. The origin of the name According to various scholars, the name Joker evolved from the German name Juker which was used for the Euchre game in Germany. The joker was first mentioned in the 1886 book, Euchre: How to Play it.

The Railway Euchre game which is described in the book uses an extra card, which is the joker. Another theory is that the name could have been derived from Poker, where it was mentioned first in the 1875 book American Hoyle. Both Euchre and poker spread in America at the same time, so it is still not clear for which game the Joker was first used. In the 1880s the Joker was first represented as a court jester or a clown. In a Tarot deck, the fool in the Trumps is quite similar to the Joker. Both of these cards have quite a lot in common, in terms of appearance as well as their function in a game. In a tarot deck the Fool is often used as the highest value trump. In other cases the Fool can be played at any time that a player wants but cannot win. The Fool had been a part of the tarot deck since 1400s but the Joker has only been recently introduced. So even though the image of modern day joker might have been inspired from the Fool, their origins are totally different. In a French 52 card deck, the Joker has only been added quite recently.

In several decks, two different Jokers are used to correspond to the Fool trump card in a Tarot deck. The black Joker corresponds to the Fool card of the Tarot deck and the Red Joker corresponds to the Magician which is also known as the Juggler. The Juggler is quite similar to the Fool in a Tarot deck. At online casinos Australia, you can play all of the newest games from Microgaming, the industry leader in online casino game development. The newest pokies games offer outstanding new features, including stacked wilds and expanding wilds, multi-level bonus features, and hundreds of ways to win. In Sweden there are many different online casinos to choose from and sometimes it is hard to decipher which one is the legitimate casino and which one might be a bit shady. By referring to the players can receive a fair and honest summary of all of the online casinos available.

The Evolution, History, and Imagery of Playing Cards | Collectors Weekly The Evolution, History, and Imagery of Playing Cards By Simon Wintle — April 10th, 2008 Simon Wintle is the man behind The World of Playing Cards , a great reference source on antique and vintage playing cards and a member of our Hall of Fame . For over six centuries – apart from its functionality as a number game – the playing card has been chosen as a medium for artistry, aesthetic endeavour and ornamental design, ranging from hand-painted and engraved cards for medieval patrons, to the chromo-lithographic delights and transformation cards of the nineteenth century, and the designer and art packs of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Early Playing Cards and Their Uses The earliest playing cards were hand-painted, often gilded, and designed to be beautiful objects. Packs of cards were mentioned in wills and inventories, and given as wedding presents, so would have been considered valuable and precious. Not only were cards gilded and painted in many colours, and not merely decorated with ornamental patterns, but often the designs themselves showed great artistic skill, harmony of colour and grace of forms.

A cluster of early literary references refer to the game being introduced by ‘a Saracen’, ‘the Moorish Game’ etc. Etymological evidence also suggests that the Arabs introduced playing cards into Europe in the second half of the fourteenth century and that European cards evolved from the suit system and composition of these cards. Playing cards have always served two distinct purposes: gambling, and the playing of games of skill. Their introduction provided a new alternative to dice and knuckle bones. Evidently both kinds of game existed in Europe since the first introduction of playing cards. Prohibitions of card playing and denunciations by preachers demonstrate their widespread use for gambling. However, instances of playing cards being used for games of skill are also recorded, as well as instances of moralising, allegory and representations of the social hierarchy. Man’s mind likes to categorise and classify experience… the elements, cardinal points, lunar cycles, virtues, heavenly spheres, temperaments, taxonomies and hierarchies. Many packs of playing cards have been designed as such a system, a practical ‘mnemonic’ or device for representing life’s basic facts, a memory aid or teaching tool, a means of condensing knowledge.

The subject can be anything from botany to heraldry, from cosmology to geography. Political satire has also been an inspiration for playing cards. The format of the pack – suit symbols, numeral cards, court hierarchy – has served many secondary purposes beyond a gaming device. It can be used for predicting the future, and in the case of the tarot, it has become a popular religion. In view of this, fanciful or exotic theories have been suggested to explain the origins or true meaning of the pack of playing cards and its symbolism. However, the early evidence suggests that it was nothing more than a new kind of game, at least to begin with. What has happened since then is another story… The Evolution of European Cards The first European references to playing cards date from the 1370s and come from Catalonia (Spain), Florence, France, Sienna, Viterbo (Italy), southern Germany, Switzerland and Brabant. No cards from this early survive, but the sources indicate that cards were being painted ‘in gold and various colours’ or ‘painted and gilded’ which suggests luxury packs. The earliest surviving cards are from the fifteenth century.

The Medieval mind delighted in the ornate and colourful, and the art of the miniature was much admired and practised. The diverse cultural context led to a diversity of playing card types. Whereas France was the leading centre for manuscript illumination, Germany led woodcut and engravings, which have a close affinity to printed matter. The Renaissance flowered in Italy, whilst Moorish influence endured in Spain until the 15th century. The increase in demand for cultural objects led to the inventing of quicker and cheaper production methods… woodcuts, movable type, paper instead of parchment, multiple copies. As card-playing became more popular production was accelerated by these alternative processes, including hand-made cards, cards printed from woodblocks or using stencils, or other improvised techniques. More expensive cards were produced from engravings in copper using the skills of the goldsmith and engraver. These cards have greater detail and a more naturalistic use of line. Such packs were given as wedding gifts, bequeathed as heirlooms, and regarded as valuable commodities. They were often produced for collectors. Luxury hand-painted packs were only available to a few, who enjoyed them privately or with select company.

The printed or mechanically-produced versions, cruder in design and execution, were viewed simultaneously by larger audiences but were prone to deteriorate more rapidly. Sources of Imagery The craftsmen’s tradition throughout the medieval period was to work from sketch-book models, collected on scraps of vellum. These models were copied time after time, so that images spread between workshops and from master to pupil. Images acquired during journeys abroad often contained errors of observation and proportion which were compounded by subsequent copying. Imagery on many early playing cards resembles the stock repertory of animals, plants, birds and flowers which recurs almost identically in the marginal drollery, miniature illustrations and trompe l’oeil of widely divergent manuscripts, as well as in playing cards. Often the theme was a playful allusion to tournaments, cavorting children or mock warfare between animals. Cards were produced by painters whose main source of income might have been other forms of painting, not necessarily playing cards. Designs would also have been influenced by written texts and moralised stories. Plants from the herbal, beasts from the bestiary, birds and insects from the Books of Hours, all suggesting a symbolism, a semiotic language, echoed the everyday world of popular beliefs and proverbial wisdom.

The pack of playing cards gained a format and structure of its own, and became a new language. Many early examples of playing cards are preserved inside the covers of old books, where they were used as pasteboard to stiffen the covers. This is fortunate, because nearly all the others have perished. The Renaissance, Suit Systems and National Types With the onset of the Renaissance in Italy, the new spirit of Humanism was spreading through Europe bringing a change of form and direction. This did not reach certain parts of Europe until the high and late Renaissance in the 16th century. Artists were commissioned to paint anything from wall frescoes through Books of Hours to illuminated playing cards, thereby exhibiting the taste and cultivation of the patron. In some cases the imagery had an esoteric, Christian, instructional or philosophical content, whilst in other cases it was based upon popular culture, or else merely conventional or adorned with the owner’s heraldic devices. By about 1500 three main suit systems had evolved: Latin (including Italian, Spanish and Portuguese); Germanic (German and Swiss) and French. First came the Latin suit systems, which are still employed in Spain and the Americas, Italy, the Philippines, some parts of France and North Africa.

Germanic suit systems (including Swiss) evolved after a period of experimentation with different combinations of suits, and finally the French suit system was invented which has become the most widely-used suit system around the world. These suit systems became the basis for various Standard National patterns, or National Types, which were associated with specific regions or tax jurisdictions. These were cards for everyday use, as opposed to luxury packs. Many have remained unchanged for centuries, being handed down through the generations, preserving their medieval characteristics. Others have evolved into modern types. The Origins of Modern Playing Card Design The design of playing cards involves a balance between utilitarian constraints and artistic possibilities. The basic purpose of playing cards hasn’t changed much in the last 625 years, but the fundamental precepts and principles of design and print have been continuously developing and improving to the present day. Tradition – or conservatism – bears quite heavily on the design of standard cards, especially the court cards, but originality can be refreshing in a well-designed pack. In around 1820 Hunt was the first manufacturer to modernize his design with a complete redrawing, in which he attempted to rationalize some of the idiosyncrasies which had crept into playing card designs.

In 1832, after an attempt to introduce new ‘modernized’ designs, Thomas De la Rue imitated the earlier wood-block style in the new technology of letterpress. These designs were subsequently redrawn with more decoration and became the basis for all their double-ended courts. In 1840 Reynolds also modernized its court card designs with an overlay of decorative scroll-work and patterning on the clothing. Other makers experimented with novelties or variations in the design details, such as headgear, crowns, faces, etc. Charles Goodall, for example, produced ‘modernized’ court card designs, with some unusual features, which did not last long. In 1860, Goodall produced a completely new design in double-ended format only, and which is still in use today in multiple imitations world-wide. The reduction of Playing Card duty from one shilling to threepence in 1862 led to expansions in playing card sales, and no doubt new players were tempted to enter the market.

Manufacturers, in general, began taking pride in the quality and elegance of their designs, so as to attract the best clientèle, and from this time onwards special personalised Aces of Spades were designed, instead of the ‘Old Frizzle’ duty ace. About Jokers The extra “Joker” card is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required. Originally he was called “The Best Bower” and then later “The Jolly Joker”. These Jokers, or extra cards, were first introduced into American packs around 1863, but took a little longer to reach English packs, in around 1880. One British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s.

It has been suggested (Dianne Longley, 1999) that “the Joker is the ‘wild-card’, or the card of opportunity, not unlike the ethos of opportunity and individuality that has been the driving force behind America’s pursuit of greatness.” For More Information For more information on the design, history and imagery of antique and vintage playing cards, visit The World of Playing Cards website , which includes in-depth information and galleries of cards from specific artists and eras, a collectible decks for-sale page , and a replica 17th Century card deck . Do you have an article you’d like us to publish as a guest column in The Collectors Weekly? Let us know . Poker Cards - Their Origins, History and Future by Simon Wintle < Online poker cards also have a story. There are plenty of reasons to play with our cards! > As new technologies were developed, playing card manufacturers began to modernize the design, flexibility or stiffness and the appearance of playing cards, bringing out new innovations every season. But conservative card players often shunned these innovations, so they took time to become accepted, or else were withdrawn.

Poker players required back designs which would be as unobtrusive as possible and aesthetic considerations remained entirely in the background. Victorian playing cards manufacturers also produced calendars, almanacs, greeting cards and various other fancy printed products which were designed to catch the eye. Thomas de la Rue employed the architect and designer Owen Jones to design some richly coloured and elaborate back designs which are, of course, highly sought by collectors. Likewise the other manufacturers availed themselves of the services of eminent artists or designers to embellish the backs of playing cards which were announced in their trade catalogues as “works of art” in the “best taste” for drawing rooms and for female card players. However, plainer, “old fashioned” or more traditional backs were also kept in the range, as they still are today, for players who do not wish to be distracted by brightly coloured back designs. These were often called “Club House” or “Club Cards” with plain, pastel coloured backs or simple geometrical patterns, and perhaps a crest or insignia in the centre. The plainer backs were also cheaper to manufacture.

The same thing happened when rounded corners were first introduced as “more convenient”; some players still preferred square corners and shunned the new-fangled invention! Around this period card players began to want indices and often these are found pencilled in the corners of packs dated around 1870 onwards, when indices came into common use on English and American cards. Gradually the manufacturers took out patents for their newly designed, miniature index signs, such as “Squeezers”, “Duplex”, “Dexter”, “Triplicate” or “Indicators” and some early examples are now very rare to find. Another 19th century innovation was the introduction of the extra card, called “the Joker”. The extra “Joker” card is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required. Originally he was called “The Best Bower” and then later “The Little Joker” or “The Jolly Joker”. These Jokers, or extra cards, were first introduced into American packs around 1863, but took a little longer to reach English packs, in around 1880.

It has been suggested that “the Joker is the 'wild-card', or the card of opportunity, not unlike the ethos of opportunity and individuality that has been the driving force behind America's pursuit of greatness.” One British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s. The surface of playing cards was usually smoothly polished, and Victorian card-makers had invented a new glazing process which they called “enamelled”. “Pneumatic Playing Cards”were invented by William Thomas Shaw, an old employee and De la Rue friend who had recently become a partner in the company, in around 1890. The surface of the cards was slightly grooved in a herringbone effect by being rolled on prepared plates, so that there were little pockets of air between each card. This prevented them sticking together when shuffling and acted as a resistance for the thumb in dealing, so the chance of a misdeal was considerably lessened. Other manufacturers soon introduced similar dimpled or granulated ‘fabric’ finishes on their cards to keep up with this innovation. The plastic-coated playing card was yet to be invented.

20th century innovations: narrow size, jumbo index and plastic coating Due to market forces, economic cycles and competition, many of the smaller Victorian manufacturers closed down or were taken over, so that by the 20th century there was only De la Rue and Goodall & Son left standing, until Waddington’s appeared in c.1920. But in 1922 Thomas de la Rue Ltd purchased Goodall and De la Rue and Waddington’s became rivals. Another long-standing printer, Alf Cooke, also set up a playing card department in the early 1930s. The growing sphere of technical progress included great improvements in colour printing where a full colour subject could be accurately depicted using colour separation and photographically generated dots of different sizes. During the 20th century UK playing card manufacturers moved away from mechanical or steam-driven printing technologies of the previous century, including chromo-lithography, and embraced new methods such as offset-lithography, gravure printing and reel-fed printing machinery. At that time production problems included making the cards opaque, smooth on the fingers but not too slippery, uniformity of size and exact printing so all the backs were identical.

Until around 1915 playing cards were wider, but a narrower size was introduced for games like whist and poker. This necessitated that court cards were redrawn to fit and this often resulted in a slightly ‘modernised’ and staid appearance but they also tended to have wonderful backs. The general strike of 1926 and the economic slump which hit Britain in 1931 had a disastrous effect on business but Waddington’s and De la Rue were able to ride these out. One idea involved printing miniature playing cards to be inserted inside cigarette packets which could be redeemed for full-sized packs as part of a gift scheme. In those days before TV or Internet, playing cards were a very popular pastime. During and after the Second World War cardboard and paper supplies were restricted but Winston Churchill ordered that supplies of playing cards be made available to provide amusement for the forces in their leisure hours during long periods of waiting and monotony. Plastic playing cards were not an initial success and although they have the advantage of lasting longer and being slightly heavier, they were not accepted by the card playing public.

Due to the effects of globalisation, a large proportion of playing card manufacturing has now migrated to the Far East where the latest technical innovations are available at a cheaper cost. Cards manufactured from paper or plastic, with advanced 6-colour UV printing capabilities and a sharp focus on quality, colour alignment and precision cutting can be shipped from China more economically than produced locally. Glossy varnishing, plastic coating, lamination, embossing, gold/silver foil, linen finish, etc. are all offered. Also packaging has reached a new state-of-the-art level of perfection with diamond-cut edges... a far cry from the rectangular pieces of pasteboard being produced 200 years ago. Many new companies now have manufacturing based in China with marketing and distribution channels in the UK and online. Since the 'Texas Hold 'Em Poker' fad of the past ten years the number of cheaper grade 'poker' branded decks on the market has increased very noticeably. Shops are awash with cheap 'professional' casino and poker decks and poker sets (including plastic counters described as 'professional poker chips').

Imitation decks are appearing in the market, chiefly imitating the USPCC 'Bee Brand', claiming to be 'professional' and 'preferred by casinos'. < Online poker cards also have a story. There are plenty of reasons to play with our cards! > Image credits: Simon Wintle & Rod Starling. Simon Wintle is the founder of The World of Playing Cards, a website about the history and visual art of playing cards. He has been writing about playing cards for 30 years and his articles have been published in collectors’ magazines, websites and social networks around the world. Simon is an expert on the history of playing cards and tarots and he has produced replicas and facsimiles of historical playing cards in order to gain insight into their design and manufacture. Casino - Jolly Joker Resources Jolly Joker Resources The World of Playing Card Jokers The extra "Joker" card is believed to have been invented by American Euchre players who, when modifying the rules sometime during the 1860s, decided that an extra trump card was required. Originally he was called "The Best Bower" and then later "The Jolly Joker".

These Jokers, or extra cards, were first introduced into American packs around 1863, but took a little longer to reach English packs, in around 1880. One British manufacturer (Chas Goodall) was manufacturing packs with Jokers for the American market in the 1870s. Joker - Jewelry - Gifts - Souvenirs Exclusive designs and highly artistic jewelry of best Ukrainian artists and masters. Art work composition "Joker", which expresses atmosphere of gambling business and symbolizes risk, hazard and success (roulette is rotatable).Created and produced by us specially for one of the casinos of Las Vegas where it is kept now for promotion and sale at the exhibitions or art galleries... Pennsylvania Gameroom Warehouse - Jolly Joker Poker amusement. This simple piece has charming play; roll the ball down the top glass and down onto the playfield. Under the glass, the ball then rolls into one of the card marked slots. Originally designed perhaps for attendant redemption, this game has no scoring or payout. Joker Poker II Plays just like casino poker machines only all your favorite Shockwave.com characters randomly appear! Click the desired bet, click on spin to deal the cards.

Click on a card to hold before your spin again, then hope for a winning hand. Play video poker with all your favorite Shockwave.com characters for hours without ever losing a dime... of course, you can't win one either! Feeling lucky? Get started! Jester is King | Rummy Circle RummyCircle Blog | September 25, 2014 | Did You Know | No Comments How did the Joker come to be a part of playing 13 cards rummy ? Come to think of it, games like “Crazy Eights” and “Go Fish” can go on even without this card. However, the “Joker” is a unique playing card found in most card decks today, in addition to the standard suits of clubs, spades, diamonds and hearts. And we all do light up when this card comes to complete our sets and sequences, as we play a Rummy tournament. This colourful card actually does have a significance of its own, dating back as far as the late 1800s. How the Jester was Born According to Britannica.com, playing cards came into being sometime around the 15th century, drawing inspiration from tarots cards, which were used for fortune telling.

However, the Joker did not make his appearance until the 18th century, when the Americans added this “extra” card to the standard playing deck, while bending the rummy rules of the game of Euchre. The name “Joker” is said to come from the name Jucker, which was what the Alsatians, who invented the game of Euchre, called the card. Introduced in the American playing deck around 1863, it took some time to reach the English shores. When the idea finally caught up with the British in 1880, this card was used in “Imperial Bower,” the British version of Euchre. Alternatively, it is believed that this card was originally intended for the game of Poker, as a “wild card,” although this has been largely discredited by those in favour of the Jucker theory. Today, this “Jester” is being used in many card games, if not all, across the world.

It is a favourite in Rummy tournaments and there is even a card game that it actually called “Joker.” When the Jester is King In today’s card games, the Jester can be a rather important card and is being used in a number of games. Here are a few popular games that showcase this card at its best: Euchre: The Joker is used as the highest trump, wielding maximum power. Canasta: Here it is used like a wild card. While fusing a set, the Joker is worth 50 points. Rummy Tournaments: In the game of Rummy, it is a wild card used as any necessary rank to complete a set or sequence. Chase the Joker: This game is similar to the game of “Old Maid.” Here, the card is used as an alternative to the “Ace,” thus giving the game its name. War: There are many variations of this card game. However, in some variations, the Jester beats all cards. So, the next time you play a Rummy tournament, know that the Joker isn’t always the “fool,” like the tarot cards portray it to be.

When the Jester is King: The Story of the Joker in Playing Cards 4.75 (95%) 4 votes

Question: What playing card was introduced by US players in the 1860's as the ultimate trump card (the best bower) in the game of Euchre?
Answer: Joker